Almost 50% of all internet traffic are non-human already. Unchecked, it could lead to a zombie internet.
The Internet faces an existential crisis as nearly 50% of all traffic is now non-human, with AI-generated content and bots threatening to overwhelm authentic human interaction[1]. According to recent studies, this includes automated programs responsible for 49.6% of web traffic in 2023, a trend accelerated by AI models scraping content[1:1].
The problems are stark:
Search engines flooded with AI-generated content optimized for algorithms rather than humans
Social media platforms filled with AI “slop” and automated responses
Genuine human content being drowned out by machine-generated noise
Erosion of trusted information sources and shared truth
However, concrete solutions exist:
Technical Defenses:
Open-source spam filtering tools like mosparo for protecting website forms
Content authenticity verification via the CAI SDK[1:2]
Community Building:
Supporting decentralized social networks (Mastodon, Lemmy)
Using open-source forum platforms that emphasize human moderation
Participating in curated communities with active fact-checking[1:3]
Individual Actions:
Using privacy-focused browsers and search engines
Supporting trusted news sources and independent creators
Being conscious of data sharing and digital footprint[1:4]
“While exposure to AI-generated misinformation does make people more worried about the quality of information available online, it can also increase the value they attach to outlets with reputations for credibility,” notes a 2025 study by Campante[1:5].
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Only summarized correctly, for those who don’t want to leave Lemmy to read the article without knowing about it.
Should’ve mentioned that, I think